Grey's Anatomy Will Probably Never End

Let's be real: We live in constant fear of our favorite shows being cancelled or decidedly running their course (and, gasp, what if they get revived, only to disappoint?!). But fans of Grey's Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes' first and longest-lasting hit, need not fear. There is absolutely no end to series in sight, per ABC network executives. And exhale.

We got the good news from Entertainment Weekly, who spoke with ABC Chief Channing Dungey about the status of Grey's at the Television Critics Association’s press tour. Dungey compares the show to NBC's long-running medical soap ER, which was on the air for 15 seasons. Apparently, ABC would be happy to have Meredith and her doctor crew, who have already been through 13 tumultuous seasons, on their network for even longer.

"That’d be lovely," Dungey said of the possibility of 15 seasons for Grey's. "I'll take even more! Honestly, I think that the show is going to continue as long as Shonda and the gang have a creative passion for telling those stories. At the moment, it feels like we’re full steam ahead."

Grey's is, after all, one of ABC's most successful series, averaging 11.6 million viewers. So what's the secret to such enduring TV magic? According to Dungey, it's the Grey's Anatomy writers' ability to show us new sides of mainstay characters while seamlessly introducing new ones into the mix at Grey-Sloan Memorial.

"What Shonda and the team at Grey’s have really been able to do over time is continue to bring in new characters that give the series additional life and energy while remaining true to the core cast of characters," Dungey says. "When I’ve been looking at the fan feedback and reaction from this season, people are more interested than ever in the relationship between Meredith and Alex, and these are two characters that have been around since season one. But we’re now experiencing them in a totally different way than we have before. That’s just what the writers do so well; they continually peel back new layers of these characters that we get to expand and explore."

And we'd bet endless life-or-death drama befalling our gal Meredith probably doesn't hurt the ratings either. Best start stocking up on tissues now; Shonda only knows what high-stakes, tear-jerking events those doctors are in for in seasons (and seasons and seasons) to come.